SAN ANTONIO – The new intersection at Loop 1604 and Bandera is now in full operation, and it’s designed to relieve a major influx of traffic that shares this route. According to TxDOT, approximately 40,000 cars go through this intersection on Bandera each day, and approximately 120,000 cars travel on Loop 1604 in one 24-hour period.
The new configuration is called a “Displaced Left Turn” or “DLT”, and it’s the first of its kind in the San Antonio district. A similar design is used between San Antonio and Austin at the I-35 and SH 80 E/B interchange in San Marcos. The DLT gives drivers on Bandera their own separate lane to turn left onto Loop 1604. There is still a traffic light they must follow, but it separates them from other traffic. Drivers who wish to continue driving on Bandera without getting onto Loop 1604 should have less congestion with the new DLT, as they will have their own lanes and will not have to stop and wait behind traffic that’s waiting to turn left.
The new turn may take some time to get used to, as it may seem as if you’re driving right towards oncoming traffic, but rest assured, the road is marked clearly, more than a dozen new traffic lights have been synced to the existing signal system, and as long as you take your time in this area while other drivers also adjust to the new configuration, it should begin to feel normal in no time.
The video below shows a simulation of the new Displaced Left Turn on Bandera at Loop 1604: